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UK Passengers Evacuated from Hantavirus Ship in Canary Islands
9 May
Summary
- Britons on virus-hit ship to be flown to Merseyside hospital.
- WHO director-general reassures Spain on low hantavirus risk.
- Ship docks off Tenerife for screening; 42-day isolation planned.
British passengers and crew from the MV Hondius, a cruise ship experiencing a hantavirus outbreak, are being transferred to Merseyside for hospital quarantine. The vessel, which has had three fatalities, is en route to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Local authorities initially barred the ship from docking due to health system concerns.
Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, personally reassured Spain that the hantavirus risk remains low, aiming to alleviate fears reminiscent of past pandemics. He met with the Spanish president to coordinate the evacuation from the ship.
The MV Hondius is expected to anchor off Tenerife on Sunday morning for passenger and crew screening. Those cleared will be flown to their home countries, with British individuals heading to Arrowe Park hospital for a precautionary 42-day isolation period.
